Passenger car registrations: +4.7% four months into 2017; -6.6% in April

Brussels, 16 May 2017 – In April 2017, the number of passenger cars registered in the EU declined (-6.6%) to 1,191,034 units, mainly the result of Easter falling in April this year.

In April 2017, the number of passenger cars registered in the EU declined (-6.6%) to 1,191,034 units, mainly the result of Easter falling in April this year. Most of the major markets saw demand fall in April, with the UK posting a double-digit drop (-19.8%), followed by Germany (-8.0%), France (-6.0%) and Italy (-4.6%). Only the Spanish market grew last month, recording a slight increase (+1.1%). Positive contributions mainly came from the so-called EU-12 countries (+8.2%), those member states that have joined the EU since 2004.

From January to April 2017, demand for passenger cars remained positive (+4.7%), totalling 5,332,854 units. Italy (+8.0%), Spain (+6.1%), Germany (+2.5%), France (+2.0%) and the United Kingdom (+1.1%) all saw their markets grow during the first four months of the year, despite the declines observed in April.